Water levels all messed up

[brad23]

Well I started adding Mag three days ago and using part 1 alk

And my DKH has dropped from 8 - 6 added 6oz of part 1 alk and it did buffer my PH my .20 and .10. Yesterday it put it up to 8.17 and the same time today it was 7.95 added 2oz of part1 alk and it came up to 8.07

My mag has dropped from 1200 - 1140 I've added 16oz in the last three - four days and it's dropped

Calc is at 410 or so.

The only thing I've added in the last two days other than the stuff above is Vodka .3ML for the last two days.

Also I did these test 20 minutes after adding 5g of top off RO water.

I did remove about half a gallon maybe 3/4 gallon of tank water today dripping it on some new corals but I don't see how that would take it down that low.

 

[Maxxumless]

I would recommend slowing down. Water changes typically do a better job of getting everything aligned right than a bunch of additives. Getting the right levels takes time and when things get out of whack it gets ââ"šÂ¬Ã‹Å“muchââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢ harder to get them right because it takes a while for the additives to properly mix (and change levels). I would recommend just doing some water changes and starting again with a balanced approach.

 

[brad23]

That's what I was thinking maybe 20-30g water change.

 

[Maxxumless]

Iââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢m really patient; I would do a couple of 20% water changes in one week, wait a day and take some measurements and if everything is copasetic then start with equal parts and slowly move them higher (if need be). If one is still out of whack then I would do another 20% water change until they are roughly within tolerances then start with equal parts. Over a period of another week (while monitoring levels) see if one starts going down. Then youââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢ll have a better gauge of want is being depleted more quickly.

 

[brad23]

Sounds like a plan, I'm just worried because I have the better part of $700 of corals in this tank.

 

[CeeGee]

Sounds like a plan, I'm just worried because I have the better part of $700 of corals in this tank.

The value of water changes is not to be underestimated. Not only does it keep trace elements etc. in the tank but they help keep your levels in check by work with the additives. IMO they balance each other. I know that there are people around here that seldom do them but I wouldn't recommend that route to anyone that is as concerned about their corals as you seem to be.